# leave someone in the dust

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/leave-someone-in-the-dust
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To completely overtake a competitor.

## Examples

- She runs so fast that she leaves everyone in the dust.
- He leaves his friends in the dust when they play video games together.
- With their new technology, the company left all of its competitors in the dust.
- If you don't keep practicing your piano scales, the other students in the class will leave you in the dust during the final exam.
- By consistently innovating while others remained stagnant, the startup eventually left the industry giants in the dust.

## Origin

The expression appears in the 17th century, though its original application was somewhat more literal. To leave something in the dust was to abandon it upon the dirt ground, a matter of simple desertion rather than a contest of speed. By the late 19th century, the sense shifted toward competition. The imagery moved from the static dirt of the road to the airborne clouds kicked up by a faster runner, horse, or vehicle. One was no longer merely left behind; one was left to contend with the particulate matter of a superior opponent.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.